Little Tug, Curaçao

Curaçao is truly the island of tugboat wrecks. There’s the Saba tugboat, the Seaquarium barges, the Vaersen Bay barge… and still, one even more popular one.

A funny little tugboat lies close to the shore of Caracas Bay, in less than 20 feet of water. A small metallic tugboat covered with sponges and coral, it’s a perfect wreck for beginners and snorkelers. The fish around the wreck are accustomed to being fed by divers and are very friendly. Sergeant majors, yellow-tailed snappers and bar jacks eagerly await an easy lunch.

On the cliff above sits a big yellow house. Some say it was a haunted house, but it was more likely a quarantine hospital: an isolated place to treat the sick and an easy spot for disposing of dead bodies.

But how did this funny little tugboat sink in such a calm and sheltered spot? A big storm? A fire on board? A torpedo? No. The little tugboat was on the job, docking a big tanker. At the end of the maneuver, the tanker captain dropped the anchor—not in the sea but on the deck of the little tugboat, causing instant rupture and submersion.

On the other side of Caracas Bay, you’ll find Curaçao’s most spectacular vertical wall. At 130 feet down, look for an interesting ball of cables and chains, home to a very big green moray.